Tired wheel



B. D. MAULE Jan. 4, 1944.

TIRED WHEEL Filed April 7, 1941 ,juucnhw ELFUHD D 'MQULE hull Snow

Patented Jan.' 4, 1944 y ff UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE TIRED WHEEL V'Belford D. Maule, Michigan Center, Mich. Application April 7, 1941, Serial No. 387,139

6 Claims.

v The present invention relates to wheels having solid rubber tires cemented thereto, and more particularly to wheels particularly adaptable for use as tail wheels for airplanes.

Tail wheels for airplanes are usually provided with pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires and lwheels therefor, as units are expensive and are not necessary to give the required cushioning for the tails of light airplanes. The present invention contemplates the provision of a sheet metal shell, having molded thereover a solid rubber tire. The construction thus obtained is not only lighter in weight than conventional wheels and pneumatic tires, but also is less expensive tomanufacture. While the invention is particularly adaptable to tail wheels for airplanes, it is not considered an essential feature of the invention that wheels embodying the invention be applicable to airplane tail wheels only. l

An object of the invention is to provide a wheel= Vhaving a hollow Shell and a molded ti're secured thereto.

Another object of the invention isvto provide a hollow shell composed of two sheet metal stampings butted together and provided with a solid rubber tire.

Still another object of the invention is to pro- -vide a tire support of hollow sheet metal having a molded tire secured thereto.

These and other objects residing in the arrangement, combination and construction of the parts will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a wheel accordingvto the present invention adapted for support v vbetween two forks,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 1, showing `an embodiment of the invention Aence characters I indicate shells in the form of dished sheet metal stampings having the concave sides thereof facing each other and being welded together at their peripherles 2 to provide a'wheel body. At the center of each stamping -'-'If there is drawn a cylindrical portion 3. 'The cylindrical portions 3 telescopically receive a hub 4, which is in the form of a cylinder and which is suitably secured to the cylindrical portions 3 as by welding. 'Ihe outer ends of the hub 4 should bevspaced somewhat inwardly ofthe side faces of the shells I, as shown.

When the shells I have been welded together and the hub 4 secured'therein, a tire 5 of rubber or other suitable material is molded on the outside of the assembly. In the molding operation :a bond between the material of the tire 5 and the shells I should be provided. The bond may be made in any suitable way known to those skilled in the art,. but usually is accomplished by the use of a cement. As shown, at the periphery of the assembly the tire 5 should be of substantial thickness, while at the sides the tire 5 is relatively thin.v Asian example in one size of wheel 6%" in overall diameter, the thickness of the tire :at the periphery is about 3A, while the thickness of the tire Vadjacent the hub opening is about g of an inch,

The body formed by the shells I is roughly elliptical in cross section, and the tire 5 is more truly elliptical in cross section to provide a Wheel having substantially the configuration of an oblate spheroid. One of the particular advantages of a wheel and tire assembly constructed and shaped as described resides in the fact that the thickness of the tire 5 at the periphery permits the material of the tire to ex outwardly upon a load being placed on the wheel without concentrating a stress tending to separate the tire from the wheel body. This stress is substantially generally distributed along almost the entire outside surface of the wheel body. For example, should the wheel body, consisting of the shells I, have a peripheral conguration substantially cylindrical, rather than substantially elliptical as disclosed, a load on the wheel would bulge the tire material outwardly in a direction A'substantially parallel to the wheel axis. This outward bulging is due to the fact that the rubber does not compress, but flows in response to a load placed thereon. As the rubber iiows substantially axially when a load is placed on a wheel having a body with a cylindrical periphery, there is a stress tending to separate the tire from the wheel, concentrated at the intersection between the periphery of the wheel body and the sides thereof. Once the bond between the tires and the Wheel body is broken, the periodic flexing during use will continue the break in the bond and soon entirely separate the tire from the wheel body. As pointed out above, the subassemblies l.

stantially elliptical cross section of the applicants construction minimizes the concentration of bond separation stress, and therefore minimizes the likelihood of bond separation. While the relative shapes of the tire 5 and the Wheel body comprised by the shells I have the structural advantages above pointed out, as far as their internal strength is concerned, the Wheel according to the present invention also is highly advantageous due to the factthatitis streamlined, thereby offering a'minimumresistance to the air while in use. A still further advantage in having a wheel as disclosed resides in the fact that there are no exposed pockets or concavities in which mud may collect to hinder the free rotation of the Wheel in use. .It will be appreciated that mud dried on a Wheel or frozen on a wheel, bearing against Wheel supporting arms, can completely lock the Wheel against rotation so that a plane on which the Wheel is'carried,

.upon landing will drag Ythe Wheel and then de stroy the tire, or at least badlydarnage the same. IWhen the wheel body, according to the present invention, has received its tire 5, stepped sheet metal inserts 5 are disposed in .each side thereof seating against the vends of the hub 4, and cover ing the edges of the tire 5at the hub opening. Ball bearing assemblies "I provided with radially .projecting iianges 8 are insertedin the hubs 4 Over the outside ofeach grease sealing ring-I2 is disposed a dished `retaining washer I3 therefor.

The wheel disclosed inFig. 1 is supported by suitable conventional forks i5, `supported from the tail of an airplane in any usual manner. Projecting through bores I6 .in theforks I5 viis a bolt Il' having a head I8 and aclampingtnut -I9. Spacing the forks I5 frointhe sidesoffthe wheel are washers 20.

In order to secure the Wheel tothe forks ,|5,

.the bolt Il is passed through theforks' l5,.the

washers 25 and the inner races9,of the bearing The bolt I'I should;bez,substan tially the same diameter as the internal diameter of the inner races 9 so as to provide a snug. tdt.A The nut I9 of the bolt I1 isthen tightened onr the bolt I 'l to clamp the parts together, theforks I5 clamping. through the washers 25 and the washers l?, against the projecting ends-IQiof the inner races 9.

Another form of the invention is disclosed in.

Fig. 2 wherein the wheel is supported by asingle fork 22, rather than by the pair of forks I5. In the form of the invention disclosedpin Fig. 2, the wheel is substantially identical in construc tion with the exception that one of: theba1lloear-g y.within the Wheel body. .Seated on theend por-h j,

The otherishell I is provided.

tion 26 is a stepped sheet metal annular insert 21 corresponding to one of the inserts 6 of Fig. 1. Seated on the shoulder of the insert 2'I against the end portion 26 is a ball bearing assembly "I, 5 which is provided with a grease seal I2, and a covering washer I3 therefor. If desired the insert 21 may be omitted and the bearing flange 8 seated directly on the end portion 26.

The arm 22 is provided with an axle 28 press 10 fitted .thereindn some.suitable.manner, and is vrprovided vwith an integral'projection 29 corresponding to one of the Washers as disclosed in Fig. 1. The Wheel body is passed over the axle r'28 and the nut 23 is threaded o-n to the end therei54 ofto clamp the projection 29 through the grease seal closing Washers I3 against the projecting ends I0 of the inner races 9 of the ball bearing .assemblieskl fIn order to cover the side of the wheelat the hub opening opposite the arm 22, 20 there'is provided a hub cap 30 having an annular ALila-nge 3 Iwwhich may be frictionally secured with- .in thestepped nsert21. ,In the event'the insert 21 is omitted..the-.flange may Vtelescope into the tubular portion24.

:Another form of the,l invention isk disclosed in Fig 4 wherein the whee1 body is replaced by a tire .support consisting;of two annularsheet metal vshells 3,6,ihaving Aconcavefaces, butted together and weldedat their peripheries 3l. The shells y30 P36 haveinnerradially'extending flanges 38 by .means'of `which thetiresupporting body 35,1nay

be suitably:r securedpas by bolts 39 toa wheeld.

-The tirefsupportingfbody 35 is provided with-1a .tired I, of molded resilientmaterial such Yasrubber,

35 which -is:.applied to thetire supporting body 351m the sameimanner that :the tire.5 of Vthe construc- .tions-.of Figs. 1,1 andy 2, is Vsecured to the wheel bodies disclosed therein. -One difference between the construction-disclosed in Fig. 4 and thatdis- 40 r closed in Figs.: Land-2 resides in the factA thatthe tiredll doesnnot-fextend completely over the tire supporting body 35, but terminates at each side .-thereoffvat -point'42. The tire `and wheel assembly.l disclosed infFigA may have particular use for scertainytypes .of trucks, tractors, and the like.

Still another form that the invention vmayta'lre is .disclosed .in'ffFigf 5. .InsaidformA ofV the inven- .tion the wheel-.body-consists ofconcave shells. butted together and'welded along the intersecting pedine 45. In this formof the invention the shells @44 'adjacent thehub portions .thereof arejprovided, with outstanding portions 4G to provide shoulders k4'I. .Aatire 48 is .molded on''the shells 44 and terminates at the shoulders'llvl. Thus; the

. 5;, ...eonstructionrof Fig. 5 iszsomewhat similar to that yof- Fig. .4-fin that they tire-.does :not .extend :completely over the side portions of the Wheel body. Itwwilllfbefunderstood thatthe wheel body .dis- `closed.inf-Fig. -frnayfbe'provided with the [hub w structure :disclosed in 'either Figs. 1 .or 2.

While the invention has been described onlycin Y. relation `to four rforms which it may take, rit`Wil1 be apparent that the invention-may take numerous` othertforms. Also wheelspaccordngtoA the .mi present. invention vmay `findapplication not: only in the instances specied, but whenever wheels may ybe used. :Onerdeparture that may be made from the specified formsof thel invention'which have been disclosed is that instead of welding the 7m dished stampings together, they may be brazed Y,or otherwise .secured together. Also, inthe structure of Fig. 1, the end of the bolt I1V to which :the nut. I9 is. screwed may lbe threaded into the .armv I 5sadjacent the nutv I9 so asto permit: the ,7g nut I9 tofbemtaken 4upiagainst itsadjacentgarm I5 for locking purposes. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A wheel of the character described comprising a hollow tubular, sheet metal body substantially in the form of an oblate spheroid, a hub for said body, bearing receiving means in said hub, and a covering disposed over and secured to the sides and periphery of said body, said covering being thicker at the periphery of said body than at the sides thereof to provide a tread portion, said covering being shaped and arranged to provide with said body a unitary wheel and tire assembly substantially in the form of an oblate spheroid.

2. In a wheel of the character described, a hollow tubular, sheet metal body substantially in the form of an oblate spheroid, a hub for said body, a bearing means in said hub, and a tire secured to the periphery of said body, said tire being shaped so as to cover the sides of said body as well as the periphery thereof, so as to provide a wheel and tire assembly in the form of an oblate spheroid.

3. In a wheel of the character described, a pair of dished annular members, means for securing said members together at the peripheries thereof to provide a hollow body, an annular ring extending laterally inwardly from the inner periphery of each of said members, a cylindrical member in telescopic relation with said annular rings and secured thereto, the ends of said cylindrical member being disposed inwardly on the sides of said hollow body to provide annular seats for receiving wheel bearing structures.

4. In a wheel of the character described, a pair of dished annular members, means for securing said members to-gether to provide a hollow body, a tire covering the periphery of said body and the sides thereof, a cylindrical member extending through the center of said body to provide a hub, the ends of said cylindrical member being disposed inwardly of the sides of said hollow body to provide annular seats, and sheet metal inserts seating on said seats and overlapping said tire at the sides of the wheel, said inserts being adapted to receive wheel bearing members.

5. The invention as dened in claim 4 wherein one of said annular seats is disposed within the body of the wheel a substantial distance and a hub cap is secured to the wheel to cover the hub opening.

6. A wheel of the character described comprising a hollow sheet metal tubular body, a hub for said body, bearing means in said hub, and a tread secured to the periphery of said body, said tread covering the sides as Well as the periphery of said body.

BELFORD D. MAULE. 

